French gameshow format Werewolves transforms into German version with ITVS

Strategy and deception game Werewolves

French gameshow format Werewolves (aka Loups-Garous) is being adapted by ITV Studios for German public broadcasters BR and ARD.

Originally airing on French pay TV broadcaster Canal+, Werewolves is based on a 20-year-old French card game called Les Loups-Garous De Thiercelieux (The Werewolves of Millers Hollow). The game was itself based on a Russian deduction game called Mafia.

Created by Dreamspark, Presque Prod, JAAD Productions and Canal+, the Werewolves TV format has already proved popular in France, and worldwide sales began at Mipcom last year.

Now the format has crossed the border into Germany, where ITV Studios’ local production arm will adapt it for the two public broadcasters and streamer ARD Mediathek, with filming taking place at the format’s French production hub. The news was announced yesterday at the Paris Unscripted Showcase (PUSH).

Moe Bennani

“Dreamspark is proud to distribute the format in Germany and to partner on the production of this first international version,” said Dreamspark CEO Moe Bennani. “This would have never happened without [JAAD CEO] Arnaud Chautard’s trust, talent and connection with [Werewolves hosts] Fary & Panayotis, and without the amazing people at Canal+. This is just the beginning for Werewolves internationally.”

Yesterday at its PUSH presentation, Dreamspark also showcased TF1 gameshow Sea Battle, developed in collaboration with Satisfaction and French producer Arthur; musical chairs-based gameshow That’s My Chair, co-developed with Mediawan for France Télévisions; and YouTube format Match: Who Knows Who?.

The Paris company, founded by Bennani alongside tech entrepreneur Julien Muresianu in 2022, hired formats veteran and C21 columnist Siobhan Crawford as its head of international last month. Dreamspark specialises in the creation and production of gameshows, entertainment formats and reality shows. It has developed more than 60 original formats.

Regarding his international strategy, Bennani told C21: “We are willing to retain more and more distribution rights not because we want extra money but because we think we can do it better than the bigger groups. Those groups have huge distribution arms with big catalogues, and they are submerged by their own titles.”

Regarding his global expansion plans, he added: “I think licensing IP to other producers is still a business model that works, but I would add a nuance to it: we need to have a what we call a ‘super consultancy’ with the local production partner. We don’t just give them the format and say, ‘See you in a few months.’ We work hand-in-hand with them, as we did with RedSeven Entertainment’s adaptation of our format The Power for Joyn in Germany.”